Found
by Abigail Rose V
Summary: After the war, Optimus and Rodimus go back to the Nemesis to find out why none of the old Decepticons wish to return. What they find surprises them, and Rodimus takes charge at once. Could it be love?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Everyone treated Rodimus like a hero now.

Not that he minded, but he could only take so much hero-worship.

He had saved Optimus's life by shooting Megatron in the back when the gray warlord had pinned the truckformer to the ground and was snarling in his face, clawed servos groping his chest.

Now everybot showered him with praise and he was sick to pit with it.

So it was a relief when Optimus asked him to help scour the Nemesis for anything of value.

At least he didn't do any more then thank him once for saving his life, and never mentioned the incident again

All the former Decepticons had integrated right back into Autobot society without their leaders alive, as Galvatron had been executed, and Cyclonus, having been sparkbonded to the purple hellion, had requested execution as well, rather then a slow death.

And Starscream had been missing for several centuries, assumed dead.

Since he hadn't miraculously shown up to claim the throne for himself, everyone supposed they had been right.

Soundwave had been sparkbonded to Megatron, but to everyone's surprise, Jazz preformed an emergency Sparkbond, as his bonded, Prowl, had been killed in the last battle as well.

Both telepath and assassin were lying in med bay recovering, not awake yet.

Ratchet had preformed so many de-contamination surgeries that he was extra grumpy, and his private 'harem', consisting of the twins and Ironhide, were soothing him.

Ratchet had refused to Sparkbond to anybot during the war, but now his three lovers, okay, four counting a confused Wheeljack who was torn between Perceptor and the old medic, were vying for his attentions.

Optimus knew that the original Decepticon virus was there, as he had been there when the outbreak started, but had said nothing but nodded when Ratchet reported it to him.

The former Cons were scarred with their blood-red optics, but were thankful to return to their former mindsets.

Many had chosen to become contaminated, because they admired Megatron, or hated the Autobots, but there were a few who had been unwillingly infected.

One of those had not survived, much to the Prime's private grief, but no one else minded, unaware of their beloved leader's silent mourning.

All of the former Cons had looked aghast when asked if they wanted to return to their old base and collect anything, and had vehemently refused.

They all looked unhappy, and evaded any questioning on why they refused to return, and had warned any Autobot from exploring it for at least half a vorn or more.

Optimus had a bad feeling in his core, and had asked Rodimus if he would like to help him check it out.

Rodimus had eagerly accepted of course, and they had traveled in silence until they had opened the door to the old Con base.

That's when they had heard it: this pitiful, spark-rending cry.

" _M-a-a-a-s-t-er_!"

Optimus Prime and Rodimus exchange shocked glances.

" _M-a-a-a-s-t-er_!" the piteous cry came again.

"Starscream?" Rodimus whispered. "I-I thought he'd died centuries ago!"

"It appears we were wrong." Optimus said heavily, as the all-too-familiar screeching voice cried out weakly once more.

Without another word, Rodimus pushed forward and headed for the sound of the crying, soft sobbing being heard the closer they got to Megatron's former quarters.

The door was askew as they approached it, and Rodimus looked back at his leader for permission, and the Prime nodded.

Rodimus entered, guns drawn, but he dropped them in shock the klik he stepped over the threshold.

Optimus peered over his shoulder, his own shock rendering him immobile.

A…creature…was in a tiny-for-its-size birdcage hung several feet off the floor, long elegant, but trembling, wings brushing the top of the cage, dainty ankles cuffed to the bars on the sides, lengthy tapered claws clutching the bars on the front.

There was barely room inside for the creature to sit in the kneeling, slightly spread leg position it was in, but somehow it was in there.

The being staring in terror at them, having gone mute other then whimpering, was a dark gray, light gray, and black all over, with some red highlights.

The creature had soft red optics, lowered black optical ridges that twitched as it shivered, two fluttering whitish crest for audios on the side of the helm, a whitish crest on top of the dark helm, face gray and drawn, the lower lip trembling piteously.

The wings seemed too long to be strong enough to support the flier, which they slowly supposed must be some kind of Seeker they had never seen before.

The elongated claws were tapered, and deadly sharp, once more so long as to seem unnatural.

The legs were attractively long and slender as well, and had _high_ high heels that had some red highlights.

The knees' armor had a lengthy spike protruding from each of them as well, sticking far out of the bars of the cage, the base of each knee being red and the rest gray.

There even was a bright red spike fixed on the forehelm of the shivering creature, which waist, gray with red highlights, was so slim as to look like the top part of the body might crumple it.

Both Optimus and Rodimus realized that this creature, or Seeker, was designed to arouse on sight, as despite their horror at finding such a being as this one, they could feel their spikes pressurizing and heat filling their interface units.

Rodimus was the first to speak.

"Is that, is that Starscream?" he asked in a dazed tone.

"I would say so, by the label on the cage." Optimus noted.

Indeed, engraved on the cage was the word, **Starscream,** along with a leash and collar labeled with the same.

Optimus approached the frightened Seeker, noticing how much smaller the once fearsome jet was now.

"Starscream?" he questioned, bending down so as to look the Seeker in the, as he could now see, filmy optics.

Starscream stared up at him, cringing slightly back, lip trembling, large crimson optics filled with tears.

But he didn't respond, just whimpered.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2Optimus straightened to look at his protégée. "Rodimus? What do you suggest we do?" he asked, knowing that if anybot was to understand the Seeker's current state of mind, it was Rodimus. The younger Autobot was staring down at Starscream, a distant look in his blue optics. Optimus moved closer. "Rodimus?" he repeated softly. "Are you okay?" The matrix carrier wasn't sure if the sight of the Seeker was bringing back old memories, and if so, if he needed support from his adopted caretaker. After an agonizing wait, Rodimus finally seemed to realize the Prime had asked him a question. "Hmm? Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm okay. Its Screamer that's not so good. I request permission to care for him like you cared for me." He added, looking deeply into Optimus's softly glowing optics.

Optimus thought about the request for a long moment, optics resting on the trembling figure in the cage.

Then he turned back to Rodimus, who was anxiously searching his masked face.

"Yes, you may try although-" Rodimus waving a hand in front of him dismissively cut him off.

"Where there's life, there's hope." He said firmly, and went to stand in front of the captive Seeker, all but touching the cage bars to ensure he could be seen.

Starscream stared up at him, tears spilling from bulged optics as he quivered there, waiting for something it seemed.

Rodimus ran his gaze coolly over the miserable figure before him, then looked into the clouded, film-covered optics.

"Where is your master?" he asked firmly, but kindly.

Starscream ducked his head and opened his mouth to reply, but so quietly neither bot could hear him.

"Speak up!" Rodimus ordered.

Starscream cringed, then spoke louder. " Master gone." He said, fear lacing his tone.

Rodimus glanced towards a seemingly untouched cube of energon in the cage.

"Have you refueled?"

Starscream shook his helm.

"Verbal answer."

"N-no." Came the whimpered reply to Rodimus's command.

"Here." Rodimus reached into subspace and pulled out a cube of low-grade energon, not trusting the disgusting looking goop Megatron had no doubt been feeding him.

He held it out to the seeker in the cage, but Starscream pulled away from it, cowering back like he was going to be struck.

"Your master is gone." Rodimus told him sternly. "And he's not coming back."

The Autobot waited while a wail left the Seeker's mouth.

"I am taking care of you now, and I want you to eat." He eased the cube through the bars.

Starscream stared at him. "New Master?" he quavered.

Rodimus, hesitated, then nodded.

Starscream looked around in terror for a few kliks, then inched forward and bit down on the cube, sucking it dry almost instantly.

Rodimus withdrew his servo and disconnected the cage from its holder, and turned to carry it out.

A faint cry caused him to pause.

Starscream was quivering all over, a sickly film of lubricant coating the outside of his armor, and Rodimus silently cursed himself for his oversight.

 _Of course_ Megatron would never carry his slave/pet/frag toy in his cage without something awful happening.

Setting the cage down gently, so as not to jar the terrified seeker inside, he slipped the collar and leash off their hooks and snapped the lock of the cage.

Slowly, he reached inside, pausing when Starscream flinched away, then gently buckled the diamond-studded ruby collar around the thin neck when Starscream elegantly stretched it out for him, cocking his long face to the side away from the Autobot.

Rodimus then clipped the ornately jeweled silver chain leash to the collar, unlocked the ankle cuffs, and stood back.

Starscream elegantly crawled out without coaxing; stretching, as would a cat, as he daintily extracted himself from the confines of his cage, finally crouching by Rodimus's feet, miserably sniffling.

Without a word to the seeker at his feet, and ignoring the embarrassing heat in his groin from the stretching display, Rodimus picked up the cage again, then strode out.

With relief, he noticed Optimus had silently vanished, no doubt remembering when he had rescued Rodimus from similar circumstances, and the young bot had freaked at any other bot beside his rescuer.

Rodimus watched his new charge limp along at his side, exactly one pace behind him, on his left.

 _Perfectly trained_ , he mused.

In no time, the poor Seeker was wheezing painfully, and listing from one side to the other in turns, but kept his head lowered and mouth tightly sealed even though he could have gotten more air by panting though his mouth as well as his vents.

Rodimus noticed that his vents seemed clogged, and made a mental note to have Ratchet take a look at him sooner then he had formerly planned.

Rodimus slowed just a little, not wanting it to be noticed, but it seemed the Seeker noticed anyway, for he whimpered and tearfully looked up at Rodimus.

Sighing inwardly, Rodimus stopped to inspect a loose panel in the wall, more for resting the pitiful seeker then any real interest on his part.

At once, the flier knelt by his side, wheezing even more then before.

"Open your mouth." Rodimus said in an annoyed tone without glancing at the trembling seeker.

There was a shuffling sound, and then mere kliks later something was gently touching his codpiece.

It took all Rodimus's self control not to leap back away from the seeker as Starscream set to work doing what he thought Rodimus wanted.

"No, Starscream." Rodimus said gently, inwardly wincing at how the flier stilled in fear, wings quickly lowering and folding back from any harm.

"Only wish to please master tell me how to please master will do anything master desires." Starscream began babbling, shoulders quivering in dread.

Rodimus cleared his vocalizer, and the seeker went silent.

" I want you to pant through your mouth. Your vents are clogged and you need to cool your frame down." He instructed gently.

At once Starscream began panting, and within a few breems, was cooled down.

"There, does that feel better? Rodimus queried.

Starscream nodded. "Yes master." He whispered.

Rodimus gritted his denta. "One more thing." He said. " Call me Rodimus. Its my name."

"Yes Mast- _Rodimus_." Starscream corrected himself quickly.

Rodimus smiled and tugged the leash gently. "Lets go." He said, and started off once more, keeping the pace to one the injured flier could keep up with easier.

To his annoyance, Starscream kept panting, even though he no longer needed to.

"Once your systems are cool, you do not need to pant." Rodimus remarked.

The panting ceased abruptly.

Rodimus resisted the urge to pat the black and white bowed helm, and instead kept walking.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **AN sorry for the long time; having computer problems.**

They were moving up, up to fresh air and sunshine, and where SkyLynx would be waiting on them.

Starscream had froze when he first felt the movement beneath his peds, then had pressed up against Rodimus's leg, digging his claws into the floor as he keened loudly, wings drawn up and back, chassis sleek with lubricant, vents wheezing raggedly once more.

Rodimus took the precaution of taking the now-panicking Starscream in his arms, knowing that after vorns of being caged in the dark, the sudden light from the bright sun outside would no doubt cause him to flip out.

Starscream struggled madly as he scooped the feather light frame against his powerful chest, cooing softly to the whining Seeker, wincing at the high tones he emitted.

As the door lowered and the first shaft of sunlight fell across them, Starscream screamed and buried himself into Rodimus, shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down his thin cheeks.

Rodimus gripped him tightly, murmuring soothingly to him, though the terrified Seeker seemed not to hear him.

SkyLynx silently lowered the ramp so Rodimus could board, Optimus obviously having warned him against speaking.

As Rodimus strode aboard, he spoke softy to the Autobot Air SIC.

"Turn the lights down in the rear sector please. And don't bother responding; just do it."

As he made his way to the back seats, he saw that his request had been fulfilled, and he murmured a thank-you to SkyLynx.

Rodimus carefully sat down, and pried the clingy Seeker off him, gently placing him in the seat beside him.

Starscream went statue-still, only placing his claws over his face before freezing.

Rodimus wanted to buckle him in, but was loath to do anything that would seem like what Megatron would do, as in restraints.

So he instead placed his hand in the petrified Seeker's lap when SkyLynx took off and turned around, heading for Autobot City, preventing Starscream from simply falling out of the cushioned seat.

Rodimus then withdrew his hand, once more resisting the urge to stroke or pat the Seeker reassuringly; afraid it would be seen as something else.

For a while they flew in silence, but Rodimus was too curious to see if Starscream still had any of his former superior intelligence intact, or if Megatron had completely broken him into an empty shell, living only to be beaten and force-fragged every day of his miserable life.

That, and he didn't like Starscream froze up like he was.

So he withdrew a puzzle data pad from his subspace, and, clearing his vocalizer softly, held it out to the startled flier, who had jerked his claws off his face and tried to slide to the floor to kneel at the race car's feet, Rodimus just managing to stop him in time.

"Here." Rodimus placed the puzzle pad into the shaky servos, a mystified expression on Starscream's long thin gray face.

Starscream just held it and stared at Rodimus.

The former Prime sighed, instantly regretting it as Starscream cowered and burst into tears.

"Starscream," He said gently. "It's okay, shh, you're a good seeker, it's alright buddy, this puzzle pad is for you, it's fun."

Finally Starscream peered up at him, tears still leaking from the corners of his optics as he sniffled loudly.

"You're going to punish me." He stated mournfully.

"Why would I do that?" Rodimus retorted, and Starscream looked down.

"Because I failed to please you in the only way a miserable creature like me exists for." He stated simply, shuddering as he spoke .

"No, I am rewarding you for being so good at coming along with me. I am not like your old master; I have no desire to harm you." Rodimus explained, taking the pointy chin in a large servo and gently making the teary-opticed seeker look him in the optic.

Starscream still shivered and shook, so Rodimus took a deadly clawed servo in one of his and helped the seeker to turn on the puzzle pad, then let go.

"Go ahead." He encouraged. "Have fun."

Starscream looked confused, but slowly looked down at the data pad he was holding.

Then he looked back at Rodimus.

"What do I do Rodimus?" he whispered, and the racecar's spark sank.

But he smiled and leaned over to show the Seeker how to solve the puzzle.

The flier watched him closely, and when Rodimus had solved the first one, the former Prime told him to do the rest on his own.

Rodimus watched without much hope as Starscream bent his head over the puzzle pad, clicking softly to himself.

Within a few breems, Starscream looked up from the data pad.

"All finished Rodimus." He chirped.

Rodimus couldn't keep the amazed look off his face, and a familiar smirk ghosted across the Seeker's face as his new master took it and saw that he had indeed, solved all the puzzles in record time.

"Starscream." Rodimus looked up at the flier. "You are amazing."

Starscream glowed from the praise, and his wings fluttered as a shy smile appeared on his tired face.

Rodimus reached into subspace and pulled out several more difficult puzzle pads, handing them to the flier.

Chirping deep in his throat, Starscream took them eagerly and set to work.

Rodimus settled back in his seat, feeling more hopeful then he had since finding the caged Seeker deep in the Nemesis.

They rode out the rest of the trip, Rodimus watching Starscream win level after level, and Starscream oblivious to all but his puzzles.


End file.
